The ''maîtrise'', or the one-year master's degree, is a French national diploma awarded by the French higher education system, created in 1966 and validating one year's study after the ''licence'' (the bachelor's degree in France). It is a level 6 qualification in the

National Professional Qualifications Register National may refer to: Common uses * Nation or country ** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen Places in the United States * National, Maryland, ce ...

(RNCP) and is worth 60 ECTS credits. Following the reform of the ''licence-master-doctorat'' programme between 2002 and 2006 as part of the

Bologna Process file:Bologna-Prozess-Logo.svg, 96px, alt=Logo with stylized stars, Logo file:Bologna zone.svg, alt=Map of Europe, encompassing the entire Bologna zone, 256px, Bologna zone The Bologna Process is a series of ministerial meetings and agreements b ...

, the ''maîtrise'' (one-year master's degree) is merged into the two-year master's program (called "''

master Master, master's or masters may refer to: Ranks or titles In education: *Master (college), head of a college *Master's degree, a postgraduate or sometimes undergraduate degree in the specified discipline *Schoolmaster or master, presiding office ...

''"). The ''maîtrise'' diploma can still be awarded as an intermediate degree on request. It corresponds to the first year of the French

master's degree A master's degree (from Latin ) is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional prac ...

, which takes two years to complete. In

Quebec Quebec is Canada's List of Canadian provinces and territories by area, largest province by area. Located in Central Canada, the province shares borders with the provinces of Ontario to the west, Newfoundland and Labrador to the northeast, ...

, a ''maîtrise'' is a master's degree and is therefore the equivalent of a French

in two years..

History

Medieval period: ''Maîtrise ès Arts'' (Master of Arts)

The degree of Master of Arts traces its origins to the teaching license or ''Licentia docendi'' of the

University of Paris The University of Paris (), known Metonymy, metonymically as the Sorbonne (), was the leading university in Paris, France, from 1150 to 1970, except for 1793–1806 during the French Revolution. Emerging around 1150 as a corporation associated wit ...

, designed to produce "masters" who were graduate teachers of their subjects. The origin of the term ‘''maîtrise ès arts''’ comes from the

, where a degree known as the ''maîtrise'' was awarded on completion of studies in the Faculty of Arts of the University of Paris. Unlike the ''

baccalauréat The ''baccalauréat'' (; ), often known in France colloquially as the ''bac'', is a French national academic qualification that students can obtain at the completion of their secondary education (at the end of the ''lycée'') by meeting certain ...

'' and ''

licence A license (American English) or licence (Commonwealth English) is an official permission or permit to do, use, or own something (as well as the document of that permission or permit). A license is granted by a party (licensor) to another part ...

'' (bachelor's degree), which existed in all four faculties of Paris (arts, medicine, theology and law), the ''maîtrise'' existed only in the Faculty of Arts. The ''maîtrise ès arts'' was obtained after the ''licence ès arts'' (Bachelor of Arts) and, unlike the ''licence'', which was conferred by the chancellor of Notre-Dame and gave the right to teach, it was a rather honorary degree indicating the graduate's recognition within the university community and opening the way to studies in the higher faculties.

Contemporary era: the ''maîtrise'' diploma

In 1966, the ‘Fouchet’ reform abolished the preparatory postgraduate certificates (certificats d'études supérieures préparatoires or certificats propédeutiques) and replaced them with the university diploma in scientific studies and the university diploma in literary studies. In addition, the maîtrise complements the licence in the second cycle of humanities faculties. It is a level II qualification according to the old 1969 nomenclature (level 6 in the

). Since the implementation of the ''Licence-Master-Doctorat'' reform between 2003 and 2006, students with a ''licence'' can continue their studies to obtain a French master's degree, a two-year course. Universities accredited to award the Master's degree are also accredited to award, at the intermediate level, the ''maîtrise'' diploma "in the relevant field of study", once the student has successfully completed the first year..

References

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History

Medieval period: ''Maîtrise ès Arts'' (Master of Arts)

Contemporary era: the ''maîtrise'' diploma

References

See also